Malting and drying apparatus.



PATBNTBD DEC. 1, 1903.

F. H. G. MEY. MALTING AND DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED UNE 6. 1992. RENEWED MAY 5. 1903.

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PATENTBD DEC. 1, 1903.

F. H. 0., MEY. MALTING AND DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLIQATION FILED JUNE 8. 1 1902. LENEWED MAY 5. 19 03.

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No. 745,366. 'PATENTED DEC. 1,, 1903.

. F. H..C. MEY. MALTING AND DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1902. RENEWED MAY 5. 1903.

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NITED STATES Patented December 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK H. MEY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

MALTI NG AN D DRYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,366, dat d D b 1,1903.

Application filed June 6,1902. Renewed May 5, 1903. Serial No. 155,790.(No model.)

[0 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, FREDERICK H. (l. MEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork,haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Malting and DryingApparatus, of

'which the following is a specification.

air-current is maintained through the drum for carrying off moisture andgases evolved during the germinating stage and for drying the malt afterit has germinated. Such an apparatus is disclosed in my United StatesLetters Patent No. 677,787, granted July 9, 1901. In the apparatusdisclosed in said patent the air is circulated from an annular chambersurrounding the drum through the grain in the latter to a perforatedpipe which extends centrally or axially through the drum, or vice versa,from the central perforated pipe through the drum to the annularair-chamber. In the germinating process the grain swells andsprouts,which materiallyincreases its bulk. It is therefore usual toonly partially fill the perforated drum, so as to leave room therein forthe grain to swell. When the malt is dried after germination, itdecreases in bulk again, leaving considerable space in the drumunoccupied by the malt. The air which is circulated through the drum fordrying the malt seeks the direction of least resistance to the exit fromthe drum,and inasmuch as the upper portion of the drum is vacant the airtends to pass through this space, and consequently at anyone time onlypermeates the small portion of malt which lies between the centralperforated pipe and theupper portion of the perforated Wall of the drumand does not pass uniformly through the greater mass of the malt in thelower part of the drum. As nearly the full effect of the hot air is thusconfined to a small mass it is liable to become hard or flinty andundesirable or useless, or the whole body of the malt will beunevenly'and insufficiently dried.

The object of the present invention is to provide a contractible andexpansible drum which can be contracted or decreased in size as the maltis dried and diminishes in bulk, so as to maintain a practically fulldrum at all times and not leave a large unoccupied space in the drum,whereby the heating-air is caused to uniformly permeate through theentire mass of the malt in the drum and evenly heat the same.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is avertical sectional elevation of a malting and drying apparatus embodyingthe invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal horizontal section of the same, showing a portion of thedrum in plan. Fig. 4: is a sectional elevation,on an enlarged scale,through a portion of the drum. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section throughone end of the drum on line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionalelevation showinga drum of slightly different construction.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, the malting and drying drumshown in said figures consists of two circular ends or heads A,connected by a wall which is composed of separated fixed longitudinalwall sections or strips B, attached at their ends to opposite heads ofthe drum, and movable longitudinal wall sections or panels C and C,which connect the fixed Wall-sections B. The movable wall-sections arearranged in sets of three between each two fixed sections, the outer twosections O of the set being hinged to the adjacent edges of the fixedsections and the innerlongitudinal edges of the outer sections 0 beinghinged to the opposite longitudinal edges of the intermediate movablesection 0. This manner of connectingthe movable wallsections enables thelatter to be set so as to extend inwardly or toward the center of thedrum between the fixed wall-sections, as shown at the lower right-handside of Fig. 1, or to extend outwardly between the fixed wall-sections,as indicated at the other portions of said figure and in Fig. 4. Whenthe movable sections are set to extend inwardly between the fixedsections, the capacity of the drum is very considerably reduced, and thecapacity can be regulated to practically any extent within its range,according to the number of sets of movable sections which are set intheir inner position. When it is desired to move a set of the movablewallsections from its outer to its inner position, the sections arefirst pressed over to one side or toward one of the fixed wall-sections,as

indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4:. Then by pressing the sectionsinwardly and in the opposite direction they pass inwardly between thefixed wall-sections and assume the inner position shown at theright-hand portion of Fig. 1. To move the sections from their inner totheir outer position, this operation is reversed.

Suitable devices are provided for retaining the movable wallsections ineither their outer or inner position. In the construction shown (seeFigs. 1, t, and 5) each head of the drum adjacent to each set of movablewallsections is provided with a hole d outside of a line connecting theadjacent fixed wallsections and a hole at inside of such aline. Theintermediate movable section 0 of each set is provided with a lug or eard at each end, through which passes a set-screw d which is adapted toengage in either of the openings cl and d in the adjacent head of thedrum. Either the movable or the fixed sections, or both, may beperforated. In the drawings the fixed sections are shown to beimperforate, while the movable sections are perforated and preferablycomposed of perforated sheet-metal plates reinforced or strengthened bysuitable open metal frames. The drum A is rotatably supported in anysuitable manner. For instance, as described in my said Letters Patent,the circular heads of the drum rest on rollers E, journaled in standardsrising from a suitable bed E. The drum is slowly rotated by suitabledriving mechanism, such as a belt (not shown) running around abelt-pulley e, secured to the shaft of one of the rollers E, on whichshaft is secured a gear-wheel meshing with gear-teeth e, fixed to theadjacent head of the drum. The heads of the drum shown are provided withinspection openings, which are closed by doorsf, and the longitudinalwall is provided, preferably in one of the intermediate wall-sections O,with a longitudinal series of feed and discharge openings g, which areclosed by slides or doors G.

The means for circulating air through the drum forms no part of thepresent invention and may be of any suitable construction. In thedrawings these parts are constructed and arranged as fully described inmy said Letters Patent, and are, briefly stated, as follows:

H represents a stationary casing, which is supported by suitablestandards or legs h,

which surrounds the drum and extends from to the latter.

end to end thereof, so as to form an annular air-chamberaroundthedrum.Thisehamber is closed on all sides, except its inner side, so that thechain bercommunicates with the interior of the drum through theperforations in the longitudinal wall of the drum. In order to form apractically air-tight joint between the drum and the end walls 71 of thecasing, and at the same time permit the free rotation of the drum, theheads of the drum are preferably provided with projecting annular ribsor flanges 7L2, which extend into annular grooves in the inner edges ofthe end walls, (see Fig. 5,) and metal packing-rings 713 are secured tothe end walls of the casing over the joint. Obviously the ribs andgrooves could be formed, respectively, on the casing walls and heads andthe packing-ring secured The casing is provided in its top and bottom,respectively, with a longitudinal series of feed and discharge openings,which are closed by doors h and 71,5, and in its front side with alongitudinal series of inspection-openings by doors 7L6.

A fan or other propelling device (not shown) has its air-trunk Iconnected centrally with an enlarged or outwardly-bulged portion of thecasing, forming a spoutj. This spout is widest at the middle of thechamber, and graduallydeereases in width toward the ends of the same.The spoutj is divided by a series of vertical walls or partitions into aseries of diverging air channels or passages j to 7, which lead from thedelivery end of the fanspout toward the middle and end portions of thedrum, so as to divide the incoming aircurrent and distribute the samethroughout the length of the air-chamber and the drum. The air-channelsopen into the portions of the annular air-chamber I-I above and belowthe partitions, so that the air-current is divided and distributedthroughout the circumference of the air-chamber and enters theperforated drum on all sides thereof. The heads of the drum A areprovided with hollow trunnions it, which turn in hubs or bearingscarried by radial arms orspiders secured to the ends of the inclosingcasing.

L represents a perforated pipe arranged axially in the drum andcommunicating at its ends with the hollow trunnions 7c in which saidpipe is secured.

m represents stationary open-ended exitpipes connected with the hollowtrunnions It by suitable union-joints m, which permit the drum to turnabout the pipes and prevent the escape of air at the joints. Each of thepipes m is provided at its outer end with a slide or damper 011.

N represents air-pipes or conduits leading from the opposite sides ofthe fan-trunk I to the exit-pipes m, and connected to the latter on theinner sides of their dampers m Each pipe N is provided with a valve ordamper n. 0 represents hinged valves, which are adapted to open andclose the inner ends of lating heated air through the drum.

the pipes N, as shown in Fig. 3, or to be swung toward each other so asto bridge the fan-spout, and thus direct air either into the spoutj andchamber H or into the pipes N.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The drum is turned tobringits feed-opening g under the feed-openings in the top of the casingH, and the proper amount of grain is introduced into the drum throughsaid openings and the openings closed. The graiu is allowed to remain inthe drum and germinate in a well-known manner, and after this process iscompleted the malt is dried by circu- As explained in my said LettersPatent,by properly setting the dampers o, n, and m the air can bedirected into the drum through the spout j and annular air-chamber andpass outof the drum through the perforated central pipe L and pipes m,connected therewith, or its direction can be changed so that it willenter the pipes N and pass into the drum through the central perforatedpipe L, discharging from the drum into the annular air-chamber, fromwhich it escapes through one or more of the doors h or k in the casing,which are opened for this purpose. As the malt dries under the influenceof the heated air it diminishes in bulk in the drum, leaving anunoccupied space in the latter. To prevent the air from passing to theexit from the drum through this vacant space, the drum is reduced insize by setting one or more sets of the movable wall-sections intheirinner positions. This is done by turning the drum until one ofitssets of movable'wall-sections is brought opposite to the inspection orfeed and engage the holding-screws in theirinner holes d, as previouslydescribed. One or more sets of the movable wall-sections is moved in ata time, according to the necessary contraction of the drum to maintainthe latter filled to the proper extent. Ordinarily the sets are moved insuccessively, as required by the shrinkage of the malt, and the drum iskept filled to the desired extent at all times. If preferred, the drumcan be contracted before the introduction of the grain in the firstinstance and expanded by moving the wall-sections out as the grainswells in germinating and again contracted as the malt shrinks indrying.

While the construction above described and shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of thedrawings is at the present time deemed preferable, the drum may beconstructed in various ways to permit its contraction or expansion. Forinstance, as shown in Fig. 6, the longitudinal wall of the drum may becomposed of a series of fixed longitudinal strips P, secured at theiropposite ends to the opposite heads of the drum, and a series of movableperforated wall-sections,each of which extends from one fixed strip tothe other and is hinged at one of its longitudinal edges to one of thefixed strips. The fixed strips project inwardly from the outer edges ofthe heads and'are provided at their inner and outer edges with flanges p19, respectively. The free edges of the movable wall-sections areadapted to be moved into contact with the inner flanges or outer flangesof the fixed strips and secured thereto by suitablemeans-such,forinstance, as the set-screws g, which cooperate withregistering holes in the free edge of the movable wall-sections and inthe flanges of the fixed strips.

I claim as my inventiou 1. The combination of a drum, means forrotatably supporting the satn e,said drum having wall portions movableto contract or expand the drum, and means for securing said Wallportions in adjusted tially as set forth. I

2. The combination of a drum provided positions, substanwith fixed wallportions, wall portions mov- 9o able to contract or expand the drum,means for securing said movable wall portions in adjusted positions, andmeans for rotatably supporting the drum, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a drum having wall portions movable to contract orexpand the drum, meansfor securing said Wall portions in adjustedpositions, and means for circulating a drying medium through said drum,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a drum comprising separated heads, and acontractible wall connecting said heads, means for holding said wallcontracted, means for circulating a drying medium through said drum, andmeans for rotatably supporting said drum, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a drum comprising separated heads, and anexpansible wall connecting said heads,meansfor' holding said wallexpanded, means for rotatably supporting said drum, and means forcirculating a drying medium through said drum, substantially as setforth.

6. The combination of a drum comprising separated heads, and aperforated contractible wall connecting said heads, means for holdingsaid perforated wall contracted, and means for circulating a dryingmedium through said drum, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of separated heads, a plurality of fixedwall-sections connecting said heads, and movable wall-sectionsconnecting said fixed wall-sections, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of separated heads, a series of fixed wall-sectionsconnecting said heads, and perforated movable wall-sections arrangedbetween and connecting said fixed wall-sections, substantially as setforth.

9. The combination of separated heads, a series of fixed wall-sectionsconnecting said heads, movable wall-sections arranged between andconnecting said fixed wall-sections, and means forsecn ring said movablewall-sections in different positions, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of separated heads,

fixed Wall-sections connecting said heads, hinged wall-sections arrangedbetween and connecting said fixed wall-sections,and means for securingsaid movable wall-sections in different positions, substantially as setforth.

11. The combination of separated heads, means for rotatably supportingthe same, a series of fixed wall-sections connecting said heads, movablewalhsections arranged be:

tween and connecting said fixed Wall-sections, and means for securingsaid movable wallsections in different positions, substantially as setforth.

12. The combination with means for rota- FREDERICK H. C. MEY.

Witnesses:

CHAs. W. PARKER, JNo. J. BONNER.

